Amnesty International condemned the Taliban’s recent decision to prohibit women from pursuing medical and semi-professional education, including nursing and midwifery, calling it part of a “systematic attack” on women and girls based solely on their gender.
In a statement released Tuesday, Amnesty described the directive from the Taliban’s leadership as “preposterous” and one of the harshest measures imposed on women since their return to power in 2021.
“This ban not only eliminates the last remaining avenue for women’s education in Afghanistan but will also have devastating consequences for women’s health,” the organization said. Afghanistan already has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and the restriction will further limit access to essential healthcare services.
Call to reverse restrictions
Amnesty urged the Taliban to immediately end what it described as a system of gender-based persecution, repeal all decrees and restrictions imposed on women since their takeover, and allow women and girls to exercise their human rights freely and without fear.
“The right to education is a fundamental human right,” the statement said. “Yet, with every new decree, the Taliban continue to flagrantly violate this right.”
The organization emphasized that women and girls must be able to access education and other rights without intimidation, exclusion, or forced segregation. It also called on the Taliban to honor Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations.
Broader context of gender restrictions
This latest decision is seen as part of an escalating series of measures aimed at excluding women from public and educational life in Afghanistan. Since seizing control of the country, the Taliban have banned girls from attending schools beyond the sixth grade and barred women from universities.
The policies have drawn widespread condemnation from the international community and sparked protests within Afghanistan. Observers warn that the prohibition will not only worsen the country’s healthcare crisis but also deepen the systemic marginalization of women.
Critics have described the Taliban’s policies as an attempt to erase women from public life entirely, with activists calling for continued global pressure to hold the Taliban accountable.
